Identity verification and authentication

Abstract

In one embodiment, receiving, at a first computing device associated with a social-networking system and from a second computing device, a first request to verify an identity of a user of the social-networking system; sending, by the first computing device and to a mobile device associated with the user, a second request for information about the user; receiving, at the first computing device and from the mobile device, the information about the user; determining, by the first computing device, a confidence score indicating a probability that the identity of the user is true based on the information about the user received from the mobile device and information available to the social-networking system; and sending, by the first computing device and to the second computing device, the confidence score.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 receiving, by a first computing device associated with a social-networking system from a second computing device associated with a first party of a financial transaction, a request to verify a claimed identity of a second party to the financial transaction, the social-networking system maintaining information relating to one or more social connections of the first party of the financial transaction with additional users of the social-networking system; 
 identifying, by the first computing device associated with the social-networking system, social connection information relating to the one or more social connections of the second party with the additional users of the social-networking system; 
 sending, by the first computing device to a third computing device associated with the second party, a second request for information about the second party; 
 receiving, at the first computing device from the third computing device, the information about the second party; 
 determining, by the first computing device, a confidence score indicating a confidence level of the claimed identity of the second party, based at least in part on the information received from the third computing device and information available to the social-networking system; and 
 sending, by the first computing device to the second computing device associated with the first party, the confidence score for verifying the claimed identity of the second party. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first party comprises a buyer and the second party comprises a merchant. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 recognizing the third computing device as a trusted device known by the social-networking system to be associated with an account of the second party with the social-networking system, based at least in part on the information received from the third computing device. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first request includes a unique application identifier that identifies an application associated with the second party that is running on the second computing device, the application enabling the first party to purchase of merchandise from the second party. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 sending the second request for information about the second party comprises sending a challenge question to the third computing device associated with the second party; and 
 receiving the information about the second party comprises receiving a response to the challenge question; and 
 the method further comprises:
 determining, by the first computing device, that the response to the challenge question is correct; and 
 determining, by the first computing device, the confidence score indicating the confidence level of the claimed identity of the second party based at least in part on the response to the challenge question. 
 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information associated with the second party as received from the third computing device comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:
 an identifier of a user account associated with the social-networking system; 
 an identifier of the third computing device; 
 a current location of the third computing device; 
 an image of a face associated with the second party; 
 a recording of a voice associated with the second party; 
 a finger print associated with the second party; and 
 a signal from a Bluetooth device associated with the third computing device. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information available to the social-networking system comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:
 one or more social connections of the second party; 
 one or more messages posted by the second party; 
 one or more images uploaded by the second party; and 
 one or more check-ins made by the second party. 
 
     
     
       8. A first computing device associated with a social-networking system comprising:
 a memory comprising instructions executable by one or more processors; and 
 the one or more processors coupled to the memory and operable to execute the instructions, the one or more processors being operable when executing the instructions to:
 receive, from a second computing device associated with a first party to a financial transaction, a request to verify a claimed identity of a second party to the financial transaction, the social-networking system maintaining information relating to one or more social connections of the first party of the financial transaction with additional users of the social-networking system; 
 identify social connection information relating to the one or more social connections of the second party with the additional users of the social-networking system; 
 send, to a third computing device associated with the second party, a second request for information about the second party; 
 receive, from the third computing device, the information about the second party; 
 determine a confidence score indicating a confidence level of the claimed identity of the second party based at least in part on the information received from the third computing device and information available to the social-networking system; and 
 send, to the second computing device associated with the first party, the confidence score for verifying the claimed identity of the second party. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The first computing device of  claim 8 , wherein the first party comprises a buyer and the second party comprises a merchant. 
     
     
       10. The first computing device of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:
 recognize the third computing device as a trusted device known by the social-networking system to be associated with an account of the second party with the social-networking system, based at least in part on the information received from the third computing device. 
 
     
     
       11. The first computing device of  claim 8 , wherein the first request includes a unique application identifier that identifies an application associated with the second party that is running on the second computing device, the application enabling the first party to purchase of merchandise from the second party. 
     
     
       12. The first computing device of  claim 8 , wherein:
 sending the second request for information about the second party comprises sending a challenge question to the third computing device associated with the second party; and 
 receiving the information about the second party comprises receiving a response to the challenge question; and 
 the method further comprises:
 determining, by the first computing device, that the response to the challenge question is correct; and 
 determining, by the first computing device, the confidence score indicating the confidence level of the claimed identity of the second party based at least in part on the response to the challenge question. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The first computing device of  claim 8 , wherein the information associated with the second party as received from the third computing device comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:
 an identifier of a user account associated with the social-networking system; 
 an identifier of the third computing device; 
 a current location of the third computing device; 
 an image of a face associated with the second party; 
 a recording of a voice associated with the second party; 
 a finger print associated with the second party; and 
 a signal from a Bluetooth device associated with the third computing device. 
 
     
     
       14. The first computing device of  claim 8 , wherein the information available to the social-networking system comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:
 one or more social connections of the second party; 
 one or more messages posted by the second party; 
 one or more images uploaded by the second party; and 
 one or more check-ins made by the second party. 
 
     
     
       15. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software operable when executed by a first computing device associated with a social networking system to:
 receive, from a second computing device associated with a first party to a financial transaction, a request to verify a claimed identity of a second party to the financial transaction, the social-networking system maintaining information relating to one or more social connections of the first party of the financial transaction with additional users of the social-networking system; 
 identify social connection information relating to the one or more social connections of the second party with the additional users of the social-networking system; 
 send, to a third computing device associated with the second party, a second request for information about the second party; 
 receive, from the third computing device, the information about the second party; 
 determine a confidence score indicating a confidence level of the claimed identity of the second party based at least in part on the information received from the third computing device and information available to the social-networking system; and 
 send, to the second computing device associated with the first party, the confidence score for verifying the claimed identity of the second party. 
 
     
     
       16. The media of  claim 15 , wherein the first party comprises a buyer and the second party comprises a merchant. 
     
     
       17. The media of  claim 15 , wherein the first computing device is further operable to execute the software to recognize the third computing device as a trusted device known by the social-networking system to be associated with an account of the second party with the social-networking system, based at least in part on the information received from the third computing device. 
     
     
       18. The media of  claim 15 , wherein the first request includes a unique application identifier that identifies an application associated with the second party that is running on the second computing device, the application enabling the first party to purchase of merchandise from the second party. 
     
     
       19. The media of  claim 15 , wherein:
 sending the second request for information about the second party comprises sending a challenge question to the third computing device associated with the second party; and 
 receiving the information about the second party comprises receiving a response to the challenge question; and 
 the method further comprises:
 determining, by the first computing device, that the response to the challenge question is correct; and 
 determining, by the first computing device, the confidence score indicating the confidence level of the claimed identity of the second party based at least in part on the response to the challenge question. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The media of  claim 15 , wherein the information associated with the second party as received from the third computing device comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:
 an identifier of a user account associated with the social-networking system; 
 an identifier of the third computing device; 
 a current location of the third computing device; 
 an image of a face associated with the second party; 
 a recording of a voice associated with the second party; 
 a finger print associated with the second party; and 
 a signal from a Bluetooth device associated with the third computing device.